


Catch Me if You Can

by hellosweetie17



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Blood, Contract Complete, Gen, Major Character Injury, Pawn and Prey: A PG-13 Horror Black Butler Fanzine, Predator/Prey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:14:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22694620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hellosweetie17/pseuds/hellosweetie17
Summary: A little game of cat and mouse between a demon and his prey.Pawn and Prey: A PG-13 Horror Black Butler Fanzine
Relationships: Sebastian Michaelis & Ciel Phantomhive
Comments: 3
Kudos: 13





	Catch Me if You Can

**Author's Note:**

> This story is my contribution for the Pawn and Prey: A PG-13 Horror Black Butler Fanzine. You can see works from other contributors by visiting their [Twitter](https://twitter.com/blackbutlerzine)!

Jagged cement digs into Ciel’s lower back, its sharp tips slicing through his skin. He pushes himself to his hands and knees. A low hiss bursts past his clenched teeth when cold air kisses the exposed wound; painful goosebumps prickle his skin, racing up his spine and rippling through the blood dripping down his back.

Warm trickles continue to seep from the cut as he staggers to his feet. Ciel manages to stand before his knees buckle, and he drops to the ground with a hard thud. A cloud of dirt and debris billows around him, and when he inhales a ragged breath, he immediately hacks out the dust filling his lungs.

“Oi!” he rasps, wheezing between coughs. “Sebastian!”

A piercing cry resonates in the distance. Ciel’s gaze snaps toward the sound and his eyes widen as he finally notices his location: he’s lying in an old stone building, its walls crumbled, floor covered in broken chunks of bricks and painted with streaks of his blood. The building itself is surrounded by a forest. Bright slivers of moonlight shine through the trees, casting shadows upon the grass.

“Sebastian!” Ciel yells, slowly struggling to his feet. “Damn it, where the hell are you?”

Another sharp screech echoes overhead, and he watches as a flock of crows rises from the trees and flees into the horizon. Then, there’s movement up ahead. Ciel stares at a spot hidden beneath the forest’s canopy. Despite the darkness, he can still see a figure gliding toward him: its steps are elegant, soothing, familiar. The foolish part of Ciel wants to let it lull him into a false sense of relief. The other screams at him to chase after the birds.

“Young Master,” Sebastian says, stepping into the light, “you’re finally awake.”

Ciel’s hands clench at his sides. Shifting his weight to one leg, he spits, “Please do not insult me by pretending to care, Sebastian. Cut the crap and tell me where I am.”

“Testy as always.” Sebastian strolls forward. Feathers blacker than night fall from his body, trailing behind him in gentle waves. His usual attire is gone. Instead, he’s dressed in a way Ciel has seen only once before—the memory serves as his reminder.

“Have you forgotten already?” Sebastian continues, his face lighting up with that smile that has always made Ciel’s skin crawl. Stray bits of rock crunch beneath his feet as he walks into the condemned building. 

“Our contract’s complete,” Ciel says.

His eyes narrow, but he manages to keep an air of nonchalance about him as he adds, “So get on with it, demon.”

Dread crashes through him while he speaks; the emotions are meaningless, as they both know. After all, they did make a deal, and Ciel always keeps his word with unwavering conviction, never backing down with something as petty and crippling as fear.

“I would be delighted to get to the main course.” Sebastian stops in front of him. He leans down and places a finger beneath Ciel’s chin, tilting his head upward. 

“But I would much rather play a quick game before our agreement comes to an end.”

“A game? You want to play a _game_?”

“You know as well as I do how I love the chase. Hunting provides a touch of entertainment and makes it highly more satisfying in the end.”

“‘Chase’? ‘Hunt’?” Scoffing, Ciel pulls away from Sebastian’s grip with a click of his tongue. “You’re a child.”

“That may be so, but seeing as we’ve spent years together, I think I’ll extend the courtesy of giving my master a head start.”

The phrasing makes Ciel pause. His breath begins to freeze in his lungs. He eyes Sebastian warily, echoing his words with a suspicious, “‘Head start’.”

Sebastian’s eyes begin to glow. His smile’s hungry, cunning, cruel.

“ _Run_.”

And he does. 

Ciel spins on his heel. Panic creeps up his legs, winding around his waist and delving into his chest as he puts one foot in front of the other, fleeing the building and disappearing into the dark forest.

Twigs snap beneath his feet while low branches whip his face, slicing his skin with painful lashes. Booms of Sebastian’s laughter chase Ciel as he hops over fallen trees and winds around the ones still towering high above. His eyes widen upon seeing a shadow fly overhead. The fear he tried so desperately to suppress comes barreling down on him like a freight train.

“Come on, Lord Phantomhive,” Sebastian drawls. “I believe I taught you better than this.”

“Go to hell, Sebastian!” he manages to pant out. A rush of horror shoots down his spine and his stomach twists into anxious knots at Sebastian’s answering cackle.

“Aren’t we already there?”

It doesn’t take long before Ciel’s wheezing, gasping for air. His breaths come in fleeting fits. Every sharp inhale and exhale leaves the taste of blood on his tongue, stinging the rawness scraping his throat. Despite the need to slow down, the adrenaline icing his veins urges him onward, deeper into the woods even as his legs grow heavy and a cramp pierces his side.

That pain’s swept away when his foot slips between two tree roots. He’s thrown forward, tumbling to the ground with a loud crack. White-hot agony skyrockets up his leg and blinding stars burst behind his eyes, an ear-shattering cry falling from his lips. Tears pour down his cheeks, smearing the blood brought on by thin branches.

A voice too close for comfort speaks from behind. Ciel chokes down the pain long enough to glance over his shoulder. No one’s there, but the presence is suffocating nonetheless.

“Are you giving up?” Sebastian asks.

Crow feathers fall from the sky. They circle Ciel as if they’re pinpointing a target. He’s well aware that his fight for survival is useless, but the proud, stubborn part of himself refuses to cave, to give in to Sebastian’s whims.

Standing, Ciel braces himself on one leg. He doesn’t bother checking the other: the stabbing pain tells him his ankle is broken.

“No, I’m not,” Ciel yells, and Sebastian chuckles.

He turns around, then begins limping as far as his body will allow.

This time, Ciel’s pace is slow, staggering, embarrassing. Every now and then, he hears Sebastian calling for him. The words echoing through the forest are taunts, of course. He’s injured, vulnerable—Sebastian’s for the taking. And yet, he hasn’t swooped down to claim his prize.

Dizziness clouds Ciel’s mind and nausea churns in his belly. He swallows down bitter bile between gasps, his chest heaving with exhaustion. His body’s quickly succumbing to both the pain and Sebastian’s will. He treks onward, dragging his broken ankle behind him.

A steady _woosh_ of water draws his attention. Blinking away tears, Ciel gazes at what appears to be a chasm interrupting his path. The divide is highlighted by the moon in a bright ethereal light. Its heavenly glow is not only ironic considering his situation, but it almost seems inviting as if it’s offering comfort and serenity, freedom from the hopelessness engulfing him. Obviously, the whole scene’s a carefully laid trap. The false sense of security lures him to the edge anyway.

As Ciel stands at the chasm, staring down at the river, he admits to himself that this is the end of the line. He’s by no means forfeiting the game, but in his mind’s eye he can see a white candle setting his contract aflame, burning it to ashes.

And so, he jumps.

The cold wind brought on by the raging rapids whisks through Ciel’s hair. And although he’s free falling, he feels like he’s floating mid-air, frozen in time, endlessly waiting until he’s lodged free.

Waiting, because Sebastian’s nowhere to be found. 

A tiny spark of deviance lights up inside him, and Ciel wonders whether or not his decision was a mistake. He expected Sebastian to welcome him with open arms. After all, he had willingly dived into his demise. Sebastian should be grateful that he practically offered himself on a silver platter.

Then, it dawns on him. Despite accepting and fulfilling the terms of their agreement, the game ultimately ends when Sebastian so wishes. He’s been patient for years while Ciel travelled the road to revenge. Who’s to say he wouldn’t put his hunger aside for a little longer, to let Ciel dangle in darkness with nothing more than his thoughts, pain, and the rushing water for company, waiting for the moment when Sebastian would finally take him?

“I’m proud that you caught on so quickly,” Sebastian says, his voice closing in on Ciel with thunderous applause.

“And though I’ve longed for this moment, I agree that waiting a bit more will be worth it in the end.” 

Ciel opens his mouth to snap back, but the opportunity’s stolen when a hand wraps around his broken ankle and claws pierce his skin. The only thing that leaves his lips is a blood-curdling scream as he’s snatched into the abyss.

“So until then, young Master— _you’re mine_.”

**Author's Note:**

> Join me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/goodbyesweetie)!


End file.
